17-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Ever to Fly Solo Around the World

17-year-old British-Belgian pilot Mack Rutherford has become the youngest person ever to fly solo around the world. 

Mack Rutherford’s Five-Month Journey Around the World 

On Wednesday, Mack’s Shark Ultralight (UL) touched down in Sofia, Bulgaria, after a five-month journey that spanned 30 countries, four continents, and nearly 30,000 miles. 

He broke the record set just last year, when Travis Ludlow of Britain, 18, completed his solo journey around the world. 

Mack now holds four Guinness World Records, including: 

• Youngest person to circumnavigate the world by aircraft solo
• Youngest person to circumnavigate the world by aircraft solo (male) 
• Youngest person to circumnavigate the world by microlight solo (male) 
• Youngest person to circumnavigate the world by microlight solo 

Circumnavigating the Earth in a Shark 

Mack, whose nickname is Mack Solo, was just 16 years old when he lifted off from Sofia West Airport (LBSW) on 23 March 2022. After stops in Italy and Greece, Mack’s route took him across northern and eastern Africa, southern Asia, Japan, across the Pacific via Alaska, down the West Coast of the U.S., Mexico, the eastern U.S., Canada, across the North Atlantic, the U.K., and Belgium. 

After 142 days, Mack’s journey ended on Wednesday, 24 August, when he successfully landed his Shark back at Sofia West Airport at 1700 local time. 

Mack flew in a specially modified Shark UL, a European high-performance ultralight aircraft. The Shark features retractable gear, a smaller wing, a variable-pitch propeller, and a maximum speed of 186mph. 

Every Day was an Adventure 

Mack only flew during daylight hours. He encountered a few issues, such as sandstorms in Sudan, visa issues in Dubai, and a fuel bladder switch problem (that ended up correcting itself) after a stop in Egypt. The Russian invasion of Ukraine also led to navigational difficulties, as most around-the-world flights include overflying Russian airspace. Eventually, Japan agreed to grant Mack the use of their airspace, which allowed him to continue his journey. 

The most hair-raising moment of his adventure came during a 10-hour leg between Japan and Alaska. While over the Aleutian Islands, Mack encountered a weather system that produced low clouds, rain, and unexpectedly strong headwinds. He was forced to land at a former Coast Guard airstrip on Attu, an uninhabited Alaskan island that was the site of the only World War II land battle fought in the United States. 

“I stayed the night on a completely uninhabited island, which was pretty special,” Mack told the New York Times. “I found a shed on the side of the runway and stayed there for the night on a broken-down sofa.” 

As for some of his favorite moments, Mack says seeing Kenya’s wildlife and New York City’s skyline were particularly exhilarating. He was surprised when New York air traffic controllers allowed him to make several passes around the Statue of Liberty. 

Some Stats about Mack’s Journey 

• Age when record was broken: 17 years, 2 months, and 2 days (breaking the record set by Travis Ludlow by 150 days) 
  
• Total Distance Flown: 33,632 miles
  
• Total Time in the Air: 221 hours
  
• Total Time of Circumnavigation: 142 days
  
• Takeoffs/Landings: 68
  
• Longest Flight: 10 hours (Japan to Alaska)
  
• Highest Altitude: 12,500 ft. over Mexico
  
• Highest Temperature: 118.4°F (48°C)
  
• Lowest Temperature: 10.4°F (-12°C)

A Love of Aviation Runs in the Family 

Mack is far from the first aviator in the family. His dad is a former British Army helicopter pilot and is now a ferry pilot. His mom is a recreational pilot. Even his great-great-grandmother was a pilot and one of the first South African women to learn how to fly. 

Mack isn’t even the only one in his family to hold a world record. In January 2022, his sister Zara, 19, became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. 

Will Mack continue to build upon his family’s remarkable legacy in aviation? He is considering going into the air force, but right now, he is focused on his studies. As he enters his final year of high school, he says his focus is on catching up on the work he missed last year.